New Merc-AMG E63 tipped to be a hit in UK
THE THIRD GENERATION
of the Mercedes-AMG E63
is expected to be the most
successful in the UK yet,
according to AMG boss
Tobias Moers.
Launched at the LA motor
show, the brand’s performance
saloon is the most suited
yet to the UK market, Moers
explained. He said: “It’s going
to be more important [than
before] because it’s a fourwheel drive in right-hand drive.
That’s the first time we’ve had
a performance car available for
the UK with a four-wheel drive
system. So it’s my expectation
that sales will rise.”

Despite the introduction of a
slightly milder Mercedes-AMG
E43 in April, Moers said the
traditional performance cars,
such as the E63, are “very,
very strong”. He acknowledged
that the volume of 43s was
increasing but the 63s were
still dominating.
The new E63 is the
fastest-accelerating model
yet produced by Mercedes’
burgeoning performance
car division, with an official
0-62mph time of 3.4sec in
range-topping S 4Matic+ guise.
It is also the most powerful
series-production four-door
model from AMG to date.

Fitted with AMG’s twin-turbo
4.0-litre V8 engine, it will be
sold in two distinct versions. In
standard E63 4Matic+, it has
563bhp and 552lb ft of torque.
However, the most popular
model is expected to be the
range-topping E63 S 4Matic+,
which has extra turbo boost
pressure and other powerenhancing tweaks, allowing it
to deliver 603bhp and 626lb ft.
The car also introduces a
Drift mode so owners “can
have fun with the car on a race
track”, said Moers. It prompts
the four-wheel drive system
to deliver drive exclusively to
the rear wheels, remaining

engaged until the driver
deactivates it. Moers confirmed
this set-up would be carried
over to other AMG models,
but he declined to say which of
them would get it next.
AMG is growing rapidly. With
40% growth from 2014 to
2015, around 68,000 cars were
sold last year. Moers expects
at least the same increase this
year, which would result in sales
of more than 95,000 units.
He said the next major
development phase for AMG
was electrification and hybrids,
and its upcoming hypercar
would be “the car that opens the
door into the future [of that]”.

Merc has ‘lots of options’ for Maybach
MERCEDES HAS NO plans
to make Maybach its own
“pure brand” again, despite
recent speculation after the
launch of the Vision 6 concept
earlier this year.
Talking to Autocar, global
sales boss Matthias Luhrs
said: “There are currently no
plans to have a pure Maybach
brand and there is no need.”
He pointed out that more than
15,000 S-Class Maybachs
have been sold since its
launch, half of them in China.
“It shows we’ve found the
sweet spot,” Luhrs said.
However, he did admit that
Mercedes is considering a

number of different options
for Maybach, including
an SUV. If Mercedes is to
continue its strategy of
building on existing models,
this would most likely be
based on the GLS.
“A Maybach SUV is
definitely one of lots of
options, but we have no
decision yet,” he said.
Asked how the Vision 6
concept fitted into a strategy
focused on existing Mercedes
models, Luhrs said it
showed future possibilities,
“especially when it comes
to the interior”. The Vision
6’s red paint colour has also

been used on the new S650
Cabriolet, revealed at the
LA motor show.
Luhrs said there are no
current plans to incorporate

Mercedes’ upcoming electric
EQ brand with Maybach,
although he did say “it
might be an option for the
next generation”.

Merc-Maybach
S650 Cabriolet
had an LA debut

PLUG-IN HYBRID FOR LUXURY CADILLAC

GENESIS TURNS UP WICK ON G80 SALOON

The Cadillac CT6 range has been expanded by a
new plug-in hybrid variant. The BMW 7 Series rival
mixes a 2.0-litre petrol engine with two electric
motors for a combined 335bhp. UK imports are
being considered but are thought unlikely.

Hyundai’s luxury arm, Genesis, has created a
performance-focused Sport version of its BMW
5 Series-sized G80 saloon for the US. The model
gets a turbocharged 3.3-litre V6 with 356bhp. The
Genesis brand will be launched in the UK in 2018.

SMART PRODUCT
manager Rouven Remp
said the city car brand is
better suited than its owner,
Mercedes, to execute a car
sharing scheme – which it
will launch early next year.
He said, joking: “If you would
ask me personally, I think
you’d be rather reluctant to
share your S-Class. With a
Smart, it’s a bit easier.”
DIVERGENT 3D, A
California-based tech firm
that displayed a 3D-printed
car at the LA motor show,
has done a technology
exploration deal with PSA
Group chief Carlos Tavares.
Divergent 3D CEO Kevin
Czinger said the process
removes 50% of chassis
weight and 75% of parts.

MINI SAYS OPERATIONS
at its Oxford plant are
currently unaffected by the
result of the Brexit vote. Mini
boss Peter Schwarzenbauer
said it remained “business
as usual” and would be so for
some time because, unlike
Nissan and its Sunderland
plant, Mini has no imminent
investment decisions to
make about its plant.
NEXTEV BOSS Padma
Warrior laid out her vision
for the next evolutionary
step change in the
development of the car at the
LA show. Warrior painted
a picture of what she called
“Car 3.0” as being a selfdriving electric vehicle that
learns about its occupant’s
habits and adapts its
behaviour accordingly.